Badgers recruiting/roster

[Afroman]

Let me preface this by saying that there is no team I dislike more in college basketball than Wisconsin.

With that said, I need someone to explain something to me.

The Badgers have 16 players listed on their current roster (I'm assuming a few of those are walk-ons). They have one senior. In November, they announced the signing of five newcomers in their 2020 class.

I don't get it. For the last decade, it always seems as though Marquette has 10 or 11 guys while Wisconsin always trots out a small army.

Isn't every team awarded the same number of scholarships?

[Cheeks]

Let me preface this by saying that there is no team I dislike more in college basketball than Wisconsin.

With that said, I need someone to explain something to me.

The Badgers have 16 players listed on their current roster (I'm assuming a few of those are walk-ons). They have one senior. In November, they announced the signing of five newcomers in their 2020 class.

I don't get it. For the last decade, it always seems as though Marquette has 10 or 11 guys while Wisconsin always trots out a small army.

Isn't every team awarded the same number of scholarships?

Walk ons

Every team limited to max scholarships of 13

[JWags85]

Let me preface this by saying that there is no team I dislike more in college basketball than Wisconsin.

With that said, I need someone to explain something to me.

The Badgers have 16 players listed on their current roster (I'm assuming a few of those are walk-ons). They have one senior. In November, they announced the signing of five newcomers in their 2020 class.

I don't get it. For the last decade, it always seems as though Marquette has 10 or 11 guys while Wisconsin always trots out a small army.

Isn't every team awarded the same number of scholarships?

Seems like 4-5 walk ons.  They likely have a robust preferred walk-on program, just like the football team.

Definitely thought this was gonna be about their absurdly overrated incoming class, and people talking about how their 2021 class is #1 in the country...even though most teams havent gotten their commits yet

[The Sultan]

Let me preface this by saying that there is no team I dislike more in college basketball than Wisconsin.

With that said, I need someone to explain something to me.

The Badgers have 16 players listed on their current roster (I'm assuming a few of those are walk-ons). They have one senior. In November, they announced the signing of five newcomers in their 2020 class.

I don't get it. For the last decade, it always seems as though Marquette has 10 or 11 guys while Wisconsin always trots out a small army.

Isn't every team awarded the same number of scholarships?

It's cheaper for UW to attract walk ons as a public university.

[Heisenberg]

For many schools (not all), what is a "walk-on?"  The answer, it is the son of a very rich donor or someone like this.  It is a perk for them, and great for their resume!

That said, the kid still has to come to practice every day, on time, and work their a$$ off.  But if daddy can write a check, and you're willing to do it, a spot on the team can be "purchased."

Wall Street loves this crap when it comes to hiring newly minted undergrads.

[Heisenberg]

For many schools (not all), what is a "walk-on?"  The answer, it is the son of a very rich donor or someone like this.  It is a perk for them, and great for their resume!

That said, the kid still has to come to practice every day, on time, and work their a$$ off.  But if daddy can write a check, and you're willing to do it, a spot on the team can be "purchased."

Wall Street loves this crap when it comes to hiring newly minted undergrads.

One example from Bucky's roster ...

Walt McGrory
https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/walt-mcgrory/7405
turned down scholarship offers from five NCAA Division I programs including Brown, Drake, Furman, Maine and South Dakota State

His dad is Matt McGrory, a big-time banking attorney in Minneapolis. (read he can afford to pay out of state tuition and a donation to get Walt on the team.)

[JWags85]

One example from Bucky's roster ...

Walt McGrory
https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/walt-mcgrory/7405
turned down scholarship offers from five NCAA Division I programs including Brown, Drake, Furman, Maine and South Dakota State

His dad is Matt McGrory, a big-time banking attorney in Minneapolis. (read he can afford to pay out of state tuition and a donation to get Walt on the team.)

This may be the worst example you could possibly find.  Minnesota has reciprocity, so he's basically paying in state tuition.  And nobody is donating to get a low-mid major caliber player a walk-on spot.  He's more than good enough without a check being written.  Swing and a whiff

[wadesworld]

One example from Bucky's roster ...

Walt McGrory
https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/walt-mcgrory/7405
turned down scholarship offers from five NCAA Division I programs including Brown, Drake, Furman, Maine and South Dakota State

His dad is Matt McGrory, a big-time banking attorney in Minneapolis. (read he can afford to pay out of state tuition and a donation to get Walt on the team.)

Pretty sure Ivy League schools don't give out athletic scholarships.

[Heisenberg]

This may be the worst example you could possibly find.  Minnesota has reciprocity, so he's basically paying in state tuition.  And nobody is donating to get a low-mid major caliber player a walk-on spot.  He's more than good enough without a check being written.  Swing and a whiff

Just to be clear ... you don't think that the sons of the rich and connected are not regularly chosen as walk-ons?  You believe it is a straight meritocracy?

(and to be clear, they have to be somewhat accomplished HS basketball players and willing to put in the time in practice) 

[JWags85]

Just to be clear ... you don't think that the sons of the rich and connected are not regularly chosen as walk-ons?  You believe it is a straight meritocracy?

(and to be clear, they have to be somewhat accomplished HS basketball players and willing to put in the time in practice)

I never said that.  Just look at a place like Duke where walk-on spots are usually given to wealthy/connected kids, or like the walk-on currently whose father was NCAA champion soccer player at Duke in the 80s.  Heck, love him and he's a great representative of the university, but he wasn't even the best player on an ok HS team.  But he was the son of a prestigious alum.

But none of that takes away from your blatantly false and non-factual assumption. He'd be taken as a walk-on almost anywhere even if his father was a penniless nobody.

[Heisenberg]

I never said that.  Just look at a place like Duke where walk-on spots are usually given to wealthy/connected kids, or like the walk-on currently whose father was NCAA champion soccer player at Duke in the 80s.  Heck, love him and he's a great representative of the university, but he wasn't even the best player on an ok HS team.  But he was the son of a prestigious alum.

But none of that takes away from your blatantly false and non-factual assumption. He'd be taken as a walk-on almost anywhere even if his father was a penniless nobody.

Regarding Duke ....

Look up Brendon Besser, four-year walk-on from Chicago.

Then look up his father Charles Besser (hint, MU undergrad, MU Law school, first wife was Al McGuire's daughter)

Then look up the company he founded ... intermedia.  Think Charles craps more than you make in a year.

Then look up what Allan Grayson did the summer before his Senior year (hint, he stayed at the Besser's $10m house in Chicago while he "interned" at Intermedia).

I'll conclude with this ... it is not against the NCAA rules to borrow money from "teammates" ... why do you think many of the wealthy and well-connected sons are "walk-ons."

Think booster loophole.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Regarding Duke ....

Look up Brendon Besser, four-year walk-on from Chicago.

Then look up his father Charles Besser (hint, MU undergrad, MU Law school, first wife was Al McGuire's daughter)

Then look up the company he founded ... intermedia.  Think Charles craps more than you make in a year.

Then look up what Allan Grayson did the summer before his Senior year (hint, he stayed at the Besser's $10m house in Chicago while he "interned" at Intermedia).

I'll conclude with this ... it is not against the NCAA rules to borrow money from "teammates" ... why do you think many of the wealthy and well-connected sons are "walk-ons."

Think booster loophole.

who the heck is Allan Grayson?

[tower912]

He may have gotten tripped up with order of names.  Ain't that a kick?

[The Sultan]

He may have gotten tripped up with order of names.  Ain't that a kick?

Spelling his name wrong in the process.

[MU82]

Have Marquette's walk-ons historically been the sons of rich donors?

[The Sultan]

Have Marquette's walk-ons historically been the sons of rich donors?

No.  Heisey's being Heisey.

[Heisenberg]

Have Marquette's walk-ons historically been the sons of rich donors?

I never said MU was guilty of this.  I also said that "some" of the walk-ons fit this description.  See Duke (detailed above), Kentucky, Lousiville (under slick Rick)

and even Northwestern (See Charlie Hall, his mom is Julia Louis Dreyfus/Dad Brad Hall, and Tino Milnati ... his grandfather is the pizzeria and his family are big NU donors, in fact, NU Hositpal has the "Malnati Brain Cancer Institute" funded by the family ... and Tino's dad is Rick, the former Fenwick's BBall coach, and NU was hard after Fenwick's DJ Seward before he committed to Duke)

I'm sure we all know that coaches make "questionable" assistant coach hires to secure players, see Depaul hiring Shane Hierman from La Lumiere, and then Depaul briefly had a commit from top 50 recruit Tyger Campbell.  This is just an extension of that. (am I allowed to mention Stan Johnson and Marcus here?)

[Heisenberg]

If you want more examples of "carefully chosen" walk-ons at Wisconsin

https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/carter-higginbottom/7403
(dad is a big donor, and famous Bucky track athlete)

https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/trevor-anderson/7397
(Dad was the Hausers' Spash head coach, Trevor got his preferred walk-on spot in the middle of Bucky recruiting Sam)

[Heisenberg]

Again, all I'm saying is, like SOME assistant coaches, SOME walk-ons are more that "tackling dummies" for practice.  Walk-ons can also be rewards to big donors (so they can brag their son in on the team), or to get a big donation secured, or to endear the program to someone that influences a big-time recruit.

Not hard at all to understand.

[wadesworld]

If you want more examples of "carefully chosen" walk-ons at Wisconsin

https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/carter-higginbottom/7403
(dad is a big donor, and famous Bucky track athlete)

https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/trevor-anderson/7397
(Dad was the Hausers' Spash head coach, Trevor got his preferred walk-on spot in the middle of Bucky recruiting Sam)

Trevor Anderson was a full scholarship player at UWGB. Probably not the best example.

[Billy Hoyle]

One example from Bucky's roster ...

Walt McGrory
https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/walt-mcgrory/7405
turned down scholarship offers from five NCAA Division I programs including Brown, Drake, Furman, Maine and South Dakota State

His dad is Matt McGrory, a big-time banking attorney in Minneapolis. (read he can afford to pay out of state tuition and a donation to get Walt on the team.)

Or maybe, the kid wanted to play in the Big Ten and get a degree from UW, was good enough for a spot on the team and decided that was a better path than playing at and graduating from that academic juggernaut Maine or South Dakota State and was fortunate that dad could pay for him to do that.

Many kids at Ivy schools could go for free to mid and low majors but choose to pay something to get an Ivy degree while playing ball.

[Heisenberg]

Trevor Anderson was a full scholarship player at UWGB. Probably not the best example.

Maybe ... But do you believe Bucky would take anyone from UWGB as a walk-on?  Or was their an "added benefit" to making a spot for Trevor?

[Heisenberg]

Or maybe, the kid wanted to play in the Big Ten and get a degree from UW, was good enough for a spot on the team and decided that was a better path than playing at and graduating from that academic juggernaut Maine or South Dakota State and was fortunate that dad could pay for him to do that.

Many kids at Ivy schools could go for free to mid and low majors but choose to pay something to get an Ivy degree while playing ball.

Sure, I can make up things too ... like the cops decided upon themselves, without any female report complaint, to stop LSU from smoking cigars.

[wadesworld]

Maybe ... But do you believe Bucky would take anyone from UWGB as a walk-on?  Or was their an "added benefit" to making a spot for Trevor?

I believe basically any D1 program in the country would take any scholarship player from any Horizon League program as a walk on.

Maybe they're giving Trevor Anderson minutes so that if Sam and Joey hate UVA and MSU they'll be in a good spot to land then, hey?

Keep digging.

[Pakuni]

Pretty sure Ivy League schools don't give out athletic scholarships.

Technically, no, But if you're a good enough athlete ans your family isn't uber-wealthy, they'll reach into their very large endowment and make sure you're covered.
They just don't call it an athletic scholarship.